WASHINGTON — The D.C. metro area has some of the strictest penalties in the nation for speeding and reckless driving.
Compared to all U.S. states and the District, Virginia is the sixth strictest for reckless driving. D.C. is 10th. Maryland ranks No. 16.
The strictest state is Colorado. The most lenient is Texas.
WalletHub bases the rankings on things, such as fines for excessive speeding, how long a license is suspended for reckless driving and how aggressively speeding is enforced.
Some local statistical stand outs: in Virginia a first offense fine for reckless driving is a minimum of $2,500. In D.C. a reckless driving license suspension starts at six months. Maryland is among nearly half (49 percent) of states that don’t automatically ticket for reckless driving based on a specific speeds.
From the Wallet Hub study:
Virginia
- Overall Rank — 6
- Reckless Penalties — Tied at 8
- Speeding Enforcement — 14
- Speeding — automatically considered reckless at 20 mph over
- Reckless Driving — license suspension three months
- Reckless Driving — minimum fine 1st offense — $2,500
D.C.
- Overall Rank — 10
- Reckless Penalties — Tied at 15
- Speeding Enforcement — Tied at 10
- Speeding — automatically considered reckless at 30 mph over
- Reckless Driving — license Suspension six months
- Reckless Driving — minimum fine 1st offense — $500
Maryland
- Overall Rank — Tied at 16
- Reckless Penalties — Tied at 27
- Speeding Enforcement — Tied at 7
- Speeding — automatically considered reckless at no set mph
- Reckless Driving — License suspension 2 days
- Reckless Driving — minimum fine 1st offense — $1,000
Overall rankings are among 50 states and D.C., with No. 1 reflecting the strictest rules for speeding and reckless driving.